DAVID Cameron and George Osborne have established a 12 per cent lead on the crucial election issue of economic competence, a survey shows.

The ICM poll of 2,000 voters found the Prime Minister and Chancellor were trusted by 33 per cent to deliver a responsible economic plan for the country.

It contrasted with just 21 per cent on the same issue for Labour leader Ed Miliband and Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls.

However, 43 per cent of voters also said neither team was the most trusted to help families with the rising cost of living.

The poll is likely to raise Tory morale by suggesting the party is, at last, gaining some credit for the accelerating recovery.

But they will also be concerned that the lead in economic competence is not accompanied by an increase in pledges of support at next year’s general election.

When asked which party they will back, voters put Labour ahead with 33.4 per cent and the Tories on 31.1 per cent. The Lib Dems’ share was 15.8 per cent while the UK Independence Party was fourth on 11.7 per cent.

Martin Boon, of ICM Research, said: “The Conservative top team of Cameron and Osborne retain a strong lead over Miliband and Balls on economic competence but general derision with politicians wins out as more say ‘neither’ rather than stating a preference.

“The Labour team have tried to set out the agenda on cost of living difficulties but there appears to be a difference between identifying a problem and being believable in containing it.”

A separate poll by the Conservative Home website found that two out of five activists wanted a pact with Ukip at the next election. The website found that 40 per cent of supporters quizzed wanted a deal with Nigel Farage’s anti-Brussels party to stop the Right-of-centre vote being split.

But last night, Tory MP James Wharton, whose Private Members’ Bill seeking to trigger an EU referendum by 2017 was wrecked by Labour and Lib Dem peers last week, said: “The only party that can deliver [a referendum] is the Conservatives.”